E-Paper
Litmus test for two-time ‘Champion’ MLA
For two-time MLA from Laksar, Kunwar Pranav Singh ‘Champion’, the Khanpur election (a seat adjoining Laksar) will be a litmus test. Champion won in 2002 as an independent candidate and joined the Congress for the 2007 polls.
For two-time MLA from Laksar, Kunwar Pranav Singh ‘Champion’, the Khanpur election (a seat adjoining Laksar) will be a litmus test. Champion won in 2002 as an independent candidate and joined the Congress for the 2007 polls.
Now he will be contesting from the newly-formed Khanpur assembly seat after it was separated from Laksar after delimitation.
Khanpur has 1,04,248 voters with a substantial Muslim, Pahari and Gujjar population. As the former body-builder has a strong support in all these communities, besides being a Gujjar himself, it is believed that he would give a tough fight to his main opponents-Kulveer Singh of BSP and Ravinder Paniyala of BJP.
The politician, a scion of the princely state of Landoura, says he doesn’t see himself as a leader but as a servant of the people, though his opponents blame him for exploiting the sentiments of locals.
He is also believed to have strained relations with local MP Harish Rawat.
But Champion dismisses these, saying he has no malice towards Rawat. “I am popular and have a good physique as I was a heavyweight arm wrestler, so my opponents constantly blame me for little things. But Mr Rawat is our senior leader and I am trying to follow in his footsteps.”
